Rob,

I am in a similar position as the OP, and rather than make another, I would like to hear your advice. I have a Cayman S that I want to sell and move to either an older 911, and understand the additional maintenance requirement. The rebuilds (top / bottom) appear to be an important thing, what other warning signs / good signs can you mention?

John

 

Why are you going from a Cayman S to an older 911? The only potential reason will be hopes of saving money, but as the earlier discussions cited an older 911 is going to be costlier to own after bringing it up to snuff.

The only advantage of an older classic 911 is the value of well kept examples will eventually appreciate in value to at least break even with inflation. Where as the newer higher volume versions will always depreciate to about 20% of their new price over time.

 

For two reasons:

A. I really want a convertible, and I want the tiny back seat.

B. I really like the Cayman, it is fast, handles very well, and is a fantastic touring vehicle. But, I am looking for my next P-Car to be a bit more raw, more weekendy, and something I can really fall in love with.

There is absolutely no wisdom at all in thinking an older 911 will be in any way cheaper to drive. Maybe cheaper tires, and maybe depreciation costs will be less, but the reality is that they (the older cars) are more expensive to work on, more boutique, harder to find expertise on, etc. The Cayman overall is easier to drive, more comfortable, more amenable to ride in, quieter, etc.

 

Well, I own a 1988 Carrera 3.2 which I bought used for $16K and have put in another $4000 to fix little things that needs replacement. It's not perfect and the paint is only about a 7 out of 10. Mileage is 159000 now from 131,000 when I bought it used. I learned to do all my own work in terms of maintenance (oil, Fuel , air filters, valve adjustments, changing spark plugs, etc.). It's a nice daily driver that I don't have to be too worried about parking anywhere. Insurance is low, and there aren't much in terms of costs to keep it running. parts are not more expensive than Cayman parts. There is a large community of classic Porsche owners on Pelicanparts.com, Rennlists, etc. that will and can help with normal issues. 16 inch tires are definitely cheaper than 18 or 19 inchers.

 

That's pretty much exactly what I want...

I'm sure the words are wrong, but I imagine (or have read, or get the impression, etc) that your car is a bit more hands on than a Cayman. I want that hands on

 

So, what's your definition of "older"? Is it a long hood, 69-73? Is it a swb, 65-68? To some people a 993, 95-98 is an "older" car.
What's your budget? Selling the Cayman and using part or all the money for your next Porsche?
Have you driven "older" 911s?

Just picking your brain.

The older I get, the newer the Porsche I seem to be attracted to. Not sure if it's a comfort thing or not. I think my next one will might be a 997.2. There will be a bunch of 09s coming off their 2 year lease this year. With the 991 coming out I think the 997s will probably take a hit. Just not sure how big or small.

If you like the looks of the early cars, like the longhoods, but want something a little newer and more reliable, think about a backdated car. My current 911 is an 87 Carrera, backdated to a 73 RS. It's got the desirable (to me) looks of the early car, but a completely rebuilt 3.2 and G50, 964 cams, Steve Wong chip etc. Weighs about 2400lbs and it flies.
Some pics......

 

The torsion bar suspension cars (air-cooled classics up to 1989 ) are the most hands on friendly cars. I have rebuilt the 915 gearbox, a 1977 911 engine (stripped down to case and crank, new bearings, new P/C, etc). Like Rob said the backdated cars are popular examples that can run as much as $30-35K turnkey. The 964 and 993 are getting complex with OBD1 and OBD2 electronic emission control (requiring specialized electronic trouble-shooting dealer equipment). The 996 and 997's are like the Cayman where there are not much you can do at home (unless you have $30K to throw away getting a PIWIS (Porsche systems tester) or can get by with a Durametric tester. Access to the engine bay is also a much bigger and complex thing compared to the older cars. Throw in PASM, PSM, ABD, etc... even independent shops have problems coping.

 

To be honest, I hadn't even considered a backdated car... Just never put any thought into that.

I was specifically looking at the G50 cars, there see to be quite a few out there, it is supposed to be a joy to drive, etc. Also, most everything I read says that they are the real deal in terms of reliability, ease to work on, etc.

I am also trying not to look too much into this until the CS is sold. Its a great car, and frankly I don't know why I can't fall in love with it, there's just something missing. It might be that I came from a 2200 pound MR2, my first toy car, but I can't be sure. I plan on being 'pcar-less' for a few months, as I have an alternate vehicle, its ugly, but it does run well, and then I can truly take my time.

My first steps are to actually engage people in forums, and read Pete Z's book (should be here today, actually). Although I am a PCA member, I am in a low-density area, so events are usually about 2 hours away and work has been absolutely nutso in the past few months. Point of that statement being that I bet that I could drive a few at an event, but I'm not sure where else to accomplish that.

 

Definitely drive one before selling your CaymanS. You might find that experience while more raw might be more of a let down (be down on HP 217 versus 320, cars are about 150 lbs lighter than CaymanS unless there is lots of weight stripping during backdated examples). The older cars do force you to learn proper driving techniques as power on or off oversteer in the turns will result in spins. The new cars have electronic aids which lets the driver get away with lots of bad moves and still live to brag about them.

 

Words of wisdom!


Hey Dubya.....tell us about your CaymanS, year...color...tip or stick, etc?
Possible someone might want to trade....

 

i have a 02 targa but this one looks really nice! ive always wanted one of these.